Making a difference through mentoring

Twenty-one years ago, Jo-anne Wilkinson and Graeme Dingle wanted to help young Kiwis become more confident, gain life skills, and achieve success. Today theGraeme Dingle Foundation(formerly known as the Foundation for Youth Development) works to achieve Jo-anne and Graeme’s vision with a single-minded purpose: to transform young lives forever.

One remarkable young person whose life has been transformed isBailey Roma, a transgender teen who was struggling to make sense of who she was.

Constantly bullied at school, Bailey was feeling lost and alone before she startedProject K, one of the Foundation’s mentoring programmes. “I built walls between myself and other people.”

Her mentor Peter Lawson agrees, saying “When I first met Bailey she spent most of her time in her bedroom.”

But through regular mentoring meetings and goal-setting, Bailey’s walls and internal tussles have steadily reduced. She describes her mentoring relationship with Peter as helping her to find herself.

“He showed that he wasn’t going to judge me. Without Peter I would not have acknowledged who I am. He’s just the bomb – top dog.”